The best fineliner pens
For inked drawings, neat notes and the daily crossword: the fine black pens worth keeping in the pencil case.
A good fineliner gives the same crisp line on the last page as the first. What sets the best apart is mostly the ink: pigment ink is waterproof and won't fade, so drawings can be painted over and notes survive a spilt drink.
Artists usually want a spread of line widths, from hair-fine for detail to bold for outlines. For writing and doodling, a multipack of one good 0.4mm pen is all most people need.
What matters
- Waterproof pigment ink if you'll paint over it or want it to last.
- A range of widths for drawing; one size is fine for writing.
- Tips that keep their point: metal-cased ones are built to last.
- Pack size: a set of widths to explore, or a box to share.
#1 of 5
Best overall
STAEDTLER Pigment Liner 308 Fineliners (set of 6, 0.05–0.8mm)
Under £10 Price range
Six widths, from a hair-fine 0.05mm to a bold 0.8mm, with long metal tips that run neatly along a ruler or stencil. The pigment ink is waterproof and lightfast, so drawings can be inked over pencil and painted on top.
What owners say: Owners find them excellent for technical drawing and general artwork, and good value for money.
A closer look: Staedtler makes them airplane-safe, with built-in pressure equalisation so they don't leak on a flight, handy for a sketching holiday. For neat lines, keep the pen upright so the metal tip runs along the ruler's edge.
- 6 widths: 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm
- Waterproof, lightfast pigment ink
- Can be left uncapped for 12 hours
- Long metal tip for rulers
- Made in Germany
Best for: Drawing and technical work
- Pens
- 6, black
- Line widths
- 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm
- Ink
- Pigment: waterproof, lightfast
#2 of 5
Best premium
Sakura Pigma Micron Fineliners (wallet of 6, black)
£10–£20 Price range
Sakura launched the Micron in 1982 as the world's first fineliner with water-based pigment ink, and illustrators, manga artists and even scientists still reach for it: the archival ink is waterproof, fade-resistant and happy under a watercolour wash. Six sizes run from 005 (0.2mm) to 08 (0.5mm).
What owners say: Owners find them versatile and good value, especially for technical drawing and watercolour illustration, with clean, crisp lines that don't smudge or bleed through.
Heads up: Use a light touch: the finest tips are delicate and last longest without pressure.
A closer look: The sizes go by code, not millimetres: 005 is the finest, for hatching and tiny details, and 08 the boldest, for outlines and headings. Give the ink a moment to dry before rubbing out the pencil underneath.
- 6 sizes: 005 to 08 (0.2–0.5mm)
- Archival Pigma pigment ink
- Waterproof and fade-resistant
- Won't bleed through most papers
- Quick-drying
Best for: Illustration and ink-and-wash
- Pens
- 6, black
- Line widths
- 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.45, 0.5mm
- Ink
- Pigment: waterproof, fade-resistant
#3 of 5
Best for students
uni PIN Fine Line Pens (5 black, 0.1–0.8mm)
Under £10 Price range
Five widths from 0.1mm to 0.8mm in one pack, for sketching, diagrams and neat revision notes. The pigment ink is fade-proof and water-resistant, and uni says the pens can be used with watercolour without smudging.
What owners say: Owners rate the ink and the spread of sizes, and find it quick-drying and smudge-resistant, including for watercolour pen-and-wash.
A closer look: The balanced barrel is comfortable for long stretches, which makes these as good for coursework and exam revision as for sketching. The 0.1mm needs a lighter, slower hand than the rest.
- 5 widths: 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm
- Fade-proof pigment ink
- Water-resistant, fine with watercolour
- Steel-supported tips
- Pocket clip
Best for: Students and sketchers
- Pens
- 5, black
- Line widths
- 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm
- Ink
- Pigment: water-resistant, fade-proof
#4 of 5
Best for notes and marking
STABILO point 88 Fineliners (pack of 10, black)
Under £10 Price range
The stripy hexagonal fineliner known the world over, in a pack of ten black ones for notes, marking and doodling. The 0.4mm line is crisp, and the metal-cased tip is built for a long life and works with rulers and stencils.
What owners say: Owners call them a favourite for writing and sketching, with nice thin lines, and find them reliable, handy for journaling and good value.
Heads up: The ink is water-based rather than waterproof, so they're for writing and drawing rather than for painting over.
A closer look: Ten of the same pen means one in every bag, drawer and pencil case, which suits teachers, students and anyone who's always losing pens. The six-sided barrel is less likely to roll off a sloping desk.
- 10 black pens
- 0.4mm line
- Metal-cased tip
- Resists drying out with the cap off
- Hexagonal barrel
Best for: Notes, marking and doodles
- Pens
- 10, black
- Line widths
- 0.4mm
- Ink
- Water-based, not waterproof
#5 of 5
Best budget
Liquidraw Black Fineliner Pens (12, 0.4mm)
£3.29 RRP
A dozen 0.4mm black fineliners in a clear storage pack that keeps them together in a bag, for crosswords, tracing, lists and everyday doodling. The ink is made to resist fading.
What owners say: Owners find them good quality with a nice black line, great for fine writing, and handy for drawing, tracing and crosswords.
A closer look: Twelve identical pens are easy to share round a family or an office, with spares for the kitchen drawer and the crossword. If you plan to paint over your lines, test one on a scrap first.
- 12 black pens
- 0.4mm fine tip
- Fade-resistant ink
- See-through storage pack
- Comfortable grip
Best for: Everyday writing on a budget
- Pens
- 12, black
- Line widths
- 0.4mm
- Ink
- Water-based, fade-resistant
How they compare
| Feature | #1Staedtler Pigment Liner | #2Sakura Micron | #3uni PIN | #4STABILO point 88 | #5Liquidraw 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best premium | Best for students | Best for notes and marking | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Price | Under £10 Price range | £10–£20 Price range | Under £10 Price range | Under £10 Price range | £3.29 RRP |
| Pens | 6, black | 6, black | 5, black | 10, black | 12, black |
| Line widths | 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm | 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.45, 0.5mm | 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8mm | 0.4mm | 0.4mm |
| Ink | Pigment: waterproof, lightfast | Pigment: waterproof, fade-resistant | Pigment: water-resistant, fade-proof | Water-based, not waterproof | Water-based, fade-resistant |
| Best for | Drawing and technical work | Illustration and ink-and-wash | Students and sketchers | Notes, marking and doodles | Everyday writing on a budget |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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